On January 18, you may have been disappointed to see that this webpage had gone black.
Yes, my words—the words of Agatha Whitt-Wellington—were censored from my adoring public.
Why? Because I was participating in the largest online protest ever, to protest SOPA/PIPA, two bills in the US that could severely limit Internet freedom. While the vote on SOPA may have been temporarily delayed, it’s not gone even though President Obama has criticised it (surprising, eh? as you know how much Congress and the Senate value his take on things). I may joke about censorship, but if the Internet were censored how might the Arab Spring or the Occupy movement have been affected? Would I be rolling in cash proceeds from my extensive back catalog if the Internet were censored? I shudder to think. That’s why we all have to do something.
What you can do:
1. Cherish those on the Internet who use their freedom wisely.
2. Use your freedom wisely.
3. Never give away your freedom.
4. Talk to people about what’s going on.
5. Stand up and do something, whether you’re in the US or not.
Of course, I’d never deliberately offend anyone’s sensibilities on my website, nor would I break any laws, because with freedom comes responsibility. But I won’t stand by doing nothing when our freedom is in danger. I hope you won’t either.
Beautifully put as only you can. Your 5 points say it all!
MW